Wellington Shire Council's vision is for happy people, healthy environment and thriving communities.
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1300 366 244The Wellington Shire is subdivided into three wards – Northern, Central, and Coastal – each with three Councillors.
The Wellington Shire Council election will be held this October.
The election will be conducted entirely by post – a safe and completely secret method of voting. Local council general elections are held every 4 years, and councillors make decisions on a range of important local issues and services including:
We strongly encourage all eligible voters to vote this October. Voting is compulsory for all enrolled voters; you may be fined if you don’t vote.
The VEC conducts elections on behalf of all Victorian councils. For detailed and up-to-date information about how to enrol, vote, become a candidate, and more, visit the VEC website, or call the VEC on 131 832.
To nominate as a candidate for election as a Wellington Shire Councillor you must be:
You must ensure the disqualifications under s 34(2) of the Local Government Act 2020 do not apply to you.
Additionally, the Local Government Act 2020 requires candidates to complete prescribed training to nominate for election. Further details are available at Local Government Victoria.
The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) coordinates the nomination of councillor candidates. More information is available in the VEC Candidate Handbook.
In partnership with Victorian councils, the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) is delivering a number of information sessions for the community and prospective candidates. These sessions can be attended either in-person or online.
The following Gippsland sessions are available:
Additional Sessions:
Further information and the link to register is available at Stand for Council | MAV website
Useful resources for potential candidates are included below:
Further information will be included on this page as it becomes available.
Women currently comprise 44% of Wellington Shire’s councillors. Council continues to encourage greater participation of women in local government.
Council supports a 50/50 gender representation in our governing body for our Council by 2025 in line with the targets set by the Minister for Local Government, which is a key action in our Gender Equality Action Plan 2021-25.
Wellington Shire Council was pleased to be identified as one of the 31 target municipalities where the State Government offered a funded Women Leading Locally Fellowship Program.
Useful resources for potential candidates are included below:
The purpose of the Election Period Policy is to outline the continuation of the ordinary business of Council throughout the election period in a responsible and transparent manner, in accordance with statutory requirements and best practice. The policy aims to ensure that elections are conducted in an ethical, fair and equitable manner and are publicly perceived as such.
During the 2024 Council general elections, the election period will start on Tuesday 24 September 2024 and finish at 6:00pm on election day, Saturday 26 October 2024.
The Election Campaign Donation Returns document from the 2020 general election is available for download on the link below and provides details of any gifts received by the candidate, or on behalf of the candidate.
This is during the election period, used for or in connection with the election campaign and includes goods or services.
In early 2024 the Victorian Electoral Commission conducted a review of Wellington Shire Council's ward boundaries, resulting in adjustments to all three ward boundaries.
Councillors elected to the Wellington Shire Council are required to participate in a compulsory induction program commencing Monday, 18 November 2024. You can view the schedule via the Councillor Induction Schedule 2024 and key dates PDF. Candidates nominating for the upcoming election are recommended to save these dates now in preparation for being elected.
Taking on the role of Councillor can be challenging, and this induction program aims to equip Councillors with the information necessary to best represent and contribute to the Wellington Shire community, in compliance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2020.
There are proposed legislative reforms requiring councillors to undertake annual professional development training commencing in 2025. Councillors appointed to the position of Mayor and Deputy Mayor will also be required to complete mayoral training. Further information will be provided as it becomes available.
Council workshops and Council meetings are scheduled for the first and third Tuesday of each month (excluding January). Council workshops are scheduled from approximately 8.30am to 4.30pm. Council meetings commence at 5pm. Special Council Meetings may be scheduled in addition to these meetings.
Successful candidates will be actively supported to use Council’s ICT equipment and systems. Ongoing training and support is available.
Wellington Shire Council is committed to electronic (paper free) communications and Councillors are expected to regularly check their Council email for updates and correspondence.